Holder and Dispenser for Folded Hair Treatment Materials

ABSTRACT

A dispenser has vertical walls defining an interior volume for receiving a stack of Z-folded sheets of hair treatment foil with a pre-determined size and pre-determined weight, a lifting platform on which the stack of sheets is placed, a dispensing guide across the top of the vertical walls with a dispensing slot; and a lifting device such as one or more springs which provide sufficient lifting force to the platform to maintain the topmost sheet of the stack to be position immediately below the dispensing guide as sheets and weight are removed from the stack.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the arts of tools and devices for useduring certain hair treatments, such as but not limited to, applicationof hair coloring and tinting treatments.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

It is estimated that, by 2023, the hair color and dye market in theUnited States will reach $40 billion, including services and supplies,ranging from covering gray, adding highlights, applying temporarycolors, and changing hair color entirely, according to Statistica.Typical hair coloring and dying services, including supplies, rangebetween $65 and $350, and may take about two hours on average tocomplete. The need to service as much of the market demand as possibleby individual stylists as well as salon owners means that tools whichstreamline and improve the process are at a premium in today's hairproducts market.

SUMMARY OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A dispenser and method of manufacture thereof are disclosed which,generally speaking, has vertical walls defining an interior volume forreceiving a stack of Z-folded sheets of hair treatment foil with apre-determined size and pre-determined weight, a lifting platform onwhich the stack of sheets is placed, a dispensing guide across the topof the vertical walls with a dispensing slot, and a lifting device suchas one or more springs which provide sufficient lifting force to theplatform to maintain the topmost sheet of the stack to be positionimmediately below the dispensing guide as sheets and weight are removedfrom the stack.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures presented herein, when considered in light of thisdescription, form a complete disclosure of one or more embodiments ofthe invention, wherein like reference numbers in the figures representsimilar or same elements or steps.

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment accordingto the present invention.

FIG. 2 provides a side view with selected hidden interior details of theexemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 provides an alternative side view with selected hidden interiordetails of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 shows more details of a container portion of the exemplaryembodiment of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 illustrates more details of a dispensing guide of the exemplaryembodiment of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 6 sets forth details, with hidden features, from a top-downperspective of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 7 provides a side view with selected hidden interior details of theexemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 when a heavier stack of folded foilsheets are received in the dispenser.

FIG. 8 provides a side view with selected hidden interior details of theexemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 when a lighter stack of folded foilsheets are received in the dispenser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE OR MORE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT(S) OF THEINVENTION

The present inventor(s) have recognized a need in the art related to thetools and processes for applying color, tint, highlight and dye productsusing pieces, strips or sheets of foil. Wrapping the sections of hair onwhich the color product is applied can be done for several purposesduring the treatment process, including some or all of the following,but not limited to:

-   -   isolate sections of hair to be colored away from sections of        hair not to be colored;    -   organize and section the hair to achieve a larger appearance        effect;    -   to improved the evenness and consistency of the coloring result;    -   to slow the drying process of the color product;    -   to increase the heat of the coloring product to speed its result        or improve it resulting color; and    -   to provide a sheet of material upon which a lock or section of        hair can be placed and then color product applied to it using a        brush.

Foil can be obtained before and during the color application service ina number of ways according to current products on the market. Sometechnicians prefer to cut their own foil sheets before the service isrendered in order to control the size and shape. Others use foilprovides on rolls which are pulled from a dispensing box and torn off toa selected length using a built-in cutter edge on the box, but this canrequire two hands to perform and may slow the process down while themixed color product is already reacting on the mixing palette.

Some hair coloring foils are provided in pre-cut Z-folded sheets orstrips in a disposable cardboard box which, like face tissues, allowsthe user to pull with in hand a sheet from a top slot in the box to use,while holding a section hair in the other hand. As the sheet is pulledfrom the box, it pulls the next sheet up and out of the slot so that itis now ready to use by the user. However convenient and efficient thismay be, it has a number of problems and drawbacks which the presentinventor has realized are unmet in the market.

First, as the stack of Z-folded foil sheets is depleted and used up bythe technician, it becomes shorter in the box, meaning that somedispensing operations fail to pull the next sheet out of the slot.Instead, the next sheet's edge may fall back down into the box,requiring the technician to reach into the box's slot with one or morefingers to fish out the next sheet. In some instances, the technicianmay be forced to release the section of hair presently held by the otherhand in order to use both hands to hold the box and retrieve the fallensheet through the slot.

Second, as the stack of Z-folded foil sheets is depleted, the weight ofthe stack lessens, and may reach a point where that the weight of theremaining sheets plus the weight of the box is similar to or less thanthe force which is required to pull the next sheet through the slot.There can be friction resistance as the sheet passes through the slot,and there is some amount of force required to unfold the following sheetas it is partially pulled out of the slot. These cumulative forces andexceed the weight of the remaining materials and box, and cause the boxto lift off the table or countertop, or to move on the table top. Thiscan lead to the technician having to put the back into its desiredposition for single-handed use, use two hands to draw sheets out, oreven retrieve a dropped box.

Lastly, the disposable boxes often are not attractive, which, if in anindustrial setting, may be acceptable. However, in a salon setting, muchof the product and service is about appearance, personal andprofessional, and as such, such unattractive dispensers are notdesirable on an otherwise attractive booth setting where everything fromcombs, blow dryers, scissors, clippers, and curling irons as well asfurniture, lighting and decorations convey a sense of design and style.

Having recognized these unmet needs in the art, the present inventor hascreated a useful dispenser for pre-cut, Z-folded sheets of foil whichavoid these and other shortcomings of the available dispensingtechnologies, which enable reliable single-handed retrieval of sheets toallow quicker service provision, and which provide an attractiveaesthetic appearance suitable for the finest of salons and style shops.

Turning to FIG. 1 , an example embodiment 100 according to the presentinvention is shown in a perspective view. There is a generally open-topcontainer portion formed by one or more vertical walls 101, 102, 103 and104, which define an interior volume 110 into which a stack of z-foldedfoil sheets is received and from which they are dispensed. A dispenserguide 106 is provided to the top of the container portion, which definesa slot 107 through which the sheets are dispensed to the user. While theexample embodiment 100 is shown as essentially square or cubic, othershapes are available within the scope of the present invention, such asbut not limited to rectangular, round, oval, etc. And, while thevertical walls vertical walls 101, 102, 103 and 104 are shownessentially flat or planar, in at least one embodiment, they areslightly bowed toward the interior volume 110 for both functional andappearance benefits to be discussed in the following paragraphs.

Referring now to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , side views are shown of the exampleembodiment 100 in which some hidden structural details are illustratedin broken lines (dashed lines). FIG. 2 , taken from the perspective ofvertical wall 102, illustrates a lifting platform 202 upon which thestack of Z-folded sheets of foil are rested. The lifting platform, inthis embodiment, engages one or more tracks, grooves or guides 203 alongthe interior surfaces of the vertical walls to keep it centered andaligned during upward and downward movements. One or more liftingcomponents 201, such as but not limited to compressible wound springs,are disposed to bias the position of the lifting platform 202 upwardstowards the dispensing guide 106. One or more air release apertures 204are preferably provided below the lifting platform 202, such as in acontainer portion bottom 105, to allow for the platform to be pusheddownwards when a stack of Z-folded foil sheet is placed on top of thelifting platform 202 and into the interior volume 110 defined by thevertical walls. In this embodiment, the container portion is sized tomatch a particular quantity and shape of pre-cut Z-folded foil sheets,and the lifting components 201 are selected to counteract the knownweight of that quantity of sheets such that when a “reload” quantity isplaced on the lifting platform 202, the topmost sheet resides just belowthe dispensing guide 106. As sheets are dispensed 205 and removed fromthe stack, the lifting components incremental raise the lifting platformso that the next sheet, which is now the topmost sheet, is also justbeneath the dispensing guide. In this manner, the topmost sheet is neverso far below the dispensing slot that it can fall down into the interiorof the dispenser system.

FIG. 3 provides the same details as FIG. 2 , albeit from the perspectiveof another vertical wall 101. Further, the two different rotations ofFIG. 2 and FIG. 3 allow for different views of the dispensing guide 106,FIG. 3 illustrates one of the available retainer devices 107 to keep thedispensing guide 106 firmly attached to the container portion. In thisexample embodiments, the retainer devices 107 are one or more pairs ofmagnetic retainers. In other embodiments, the retainer devices mayinclude snaps, hinges, weights, latches, hook-and-loop fastener, and thelike. The main requirement of the retainer device is that it be easilydisengaged so that a user may position the dispensing guide 106 awayfrom the open top of the container portion in order to add Z-foldedsheet of foil to the dispenser device.

FIG. 4 illustrates the container portion 400 of the example embodiment100 without the dispensing portion 106 attached to it. In this view, awidened lip 401 on top edges of opposing sides 101, 103, is shown forengaging the retainer device(s). Interior guides for the liftingplatform are not shown in this view to simply the illustration, but mayexist as grooves, slots, ridges, lands or the like.

FIG. 5 depicts more details of the dispenser guide 106 in which edges107 define a dispensing slot 107. Ends 501 of the dispenser guide 106may contain a portion of the retainer device(s), and optional stabilizerportions 502 may be used for functional stability and aesthetic appeal.

In FIG. 7 , a view 700 similar to that of FIG. 5 is shown, with hiddenstructures shown in broken lines, and a stack of Z-fold foil sheets 701received onto the lifting platform 202 within the interior volume 110defined by the vertical walls 101, 102, 103 and 104. In this view, thecompressed springs serving as the lifting devices 201 are shown, and theZ-fold stack of foil sheets 701 is shown with exaggerated space betweenthe sheets to illustrate the action which draws a next sheet out of thedispensing slot 107 when the topmost sheet is dispensed 205.

FIG. 8 shows a view 800 which is similar to that of FIG. 7 , except thatmany sheets have been depleted or dispensed, so the stack 701′ of sheetsis shorter and lighter. In this example of manner of use and operation,it can be seen that the lifting devices 201 have sufficiently raised thelifting platform 202 to keep the topmost sheet of the reduced stack 701′to be just below the dispensing guide 106. This prevents the topmostsheet from falling down into the empty space above the stack that wouldordinarily be created inside a plain dispensing box by shifting theevacuated volume 110′ to be below the lifting platform 202 at all times.

FIG. 6 shows a top-down view of the example embodiment 100, includingthe slot defined by edges 107 in the dispensing guide 106, and thelifting devices 201 hidden beneath the lifting platform.

In other embodiments, the lifting devices may be one or more springs,counter-weights, compressible materials (e.g., sponge rubber, etc.),stretchable material (e.g., rubber bands suspended from above thelifting platform), or even mechanical or electrical motors.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularexemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of theinvention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” areintended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification,specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/orgroups thereof, unless specifically stated otherwise.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present invention has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

The foregoing example embodiments do not define the extent or scope ofthe present invention, but instead are provided as illustrations of howto make and use at least one embodiment of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A dispenser for Z-folded sheets of hair treatmentfoil, comprising: one or more vertical walls defining an interior volumefor receiving a stack of Z-folded sheets of hair treatment foil having apre-determined size and pre-determined weight; a horizontal liftingplatform disposed within the one or more vertical walls configured toreceive the stack of pre-determined size; a dispensing guidehorizontally disposed across a top of the one or more vertical walls,having a dispensing slot formed therein; and one or more lifting devicesengaging the horizontal lifting platform configured to receive the stackof pre-determined weight such that a topmost sheet in the stack ispositioned immediately below the dispensing guide, and furtherconfigured to raise the lifting platform incrementally as weight of thestack is reduced due to dispensing of sheets thereby maintaining thetopmost sheet positioned immediately below the dispensing guide.
 2. Thedispenser as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one or more vertical wallscomprise a rectagonal set of walls.
 3. The dispenser as set forth inclaim 1 further comprising one or more retainer devices attaching thedispensing guide to the tops of the one or more vertical walls.
 4. Thedispenser as set forth in claim 3 wherein the one or more retainerdevices comprises one or more magnets.
 5. The dispenser as set forth inclaim 3 wherein the one or more retainer devices are selected from thegroup consisting of a hinge, a latch, a snap, a weight, and ahook-and-loop fastener.
 6. The dispenser as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe one or more lifting devices comprise one or more compressiblesprings.
 7. The dispenser as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one ormore lifting devices comprise one or more compressible resilientmaterials.
 8. The dispenser as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one ormore lifting devices comprise one or more stretchable resilientmaterials.
 9. The dispenser as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one ormore lifting devices comprise one or more motors.
 10. A method ofmanufacture of a dispenser for Z-folded sheets of hair treatment foil,comprising: forming one or more vertical walls to define an interiorvolume for receiving a stack of Z-folded sheets of hair treatment foilhaving a pre-determined size and pre-determined weight; disposing ahorizontal lifting platform disposed within the one or more verticalwalls configured to receive the stack of pre-determined size; providinga dispensing guide horizontally disposed across a top of the one or morevertical walls, having a dispensing slot formed therein; and disposingone or more lifting devices to engage the horizontal lifting platformconfigured to receive the stack of pre-determined weight such that atopmost sheet in the stack is positioned immediately below thedispensing guide, and further configured to raise the lifting platformincrementally as weight of the stack is reduced due to dispensing ofsheets thereby maintaining the topmost sheet positioned immediatelybelow the dispensing guide.
 11. The method of manufacture as set forthin claim 10 wherein the one or more vertical walls comprise a rectagonalset of walls.
 12. The method of manufacture as set forth in claim 10further comprising providing one or more retainer devices for attachingthe dispensing guide to the tops of the one or more vertical walls. 13.The method of manufacture as set forth in claim 12 wherein the one ormore retainer devices comprises one or more magnets.
 14. The method ofmanufacture as set forth in claim 12 wherein the one or more retainerdevices are selected from the group consisting of a hinge, a latch, asnap, a weight, and a hook-and-loop fastener.
 15. The method ofmanufacture as set forth in claim 10 wherein the one or more liftingdevices comprise one or more compressible springs.
 16. The method ofmanufacture as set forth in claim 10 wherein the one or more liftingdevices comprise one or more compressible resilient materials.
 17. Themethod of manufacture as set forth in claim 10 wherein the one or morelifting devices comprise one or more stretchable resilient materials.18. The method of manufacture as set forth in claim 10 wherein the oneor more lifting devices comprise one or more motors.